Total support for current Darkthrone. I see it as them taking off the restraints and putting out passionate, fuck the world, kick ass music after 10 years of so so, put it out to get it out content. One of my favorite second acts in metal.

If they were Bulldozer you'd all be reaming their arseholes, but instead they're Darkthrone trying to be Bulldozer...
This ought to be as decent and reasonably enjoyable as their last album. I don't expect to be overwhelmed, but aside from Soulside Journey, that's Darkthrone in general._________________Exitium: Closed until summer MMXV

Circle the Wagons was a good album. I don't understand all this hate..

Personally, I think it's very natural that two people who were among the ones who defined the way black metal sounds today eventually got bored of playing the same stuff over and over again. In a way, I understand the hate they receive, but they owe nothing and since their current records are quite decent, I'm happy with that._________________Sic transit gloria mundi

Total support for current Darkthrone. I see it as them taking off the restraints and putting out passionate, fuck the world, kick ass music after 10 years of so so, put it out to get it out content. One of my favorite second acts in metal.

Seconded. FOAD is probably the weakest of theirs since The Cult is Alive, but it had its highlights. All these albums have a really nice passionate feel with a dirty sound I love. The Cult is Alive is really disgusting and the mix of crust and black metal is great. And hell, Circle the Wagons may very well be one of my favourite records of theirs (after A Blaze in the Northern Sky and Soulside Journey of course).

Dalen wrote:

Personally, I think it's very natural that two people who were among the ones who defined the way black metal sounds today eventually got bored of playing the same stuff over and over again. In a way, I understand the hate they receive, but they owe nothing and since their current records are quite decent, I'm happy with that.

Yeah, that's the problem. Can you really keep up putting the same (or almost) stuff 20 years later with the same passion and energy? Even Manilla Road ventured quite a bit around. You need to challenge yourself and do what you feel like doing to still be able to release good material. Can you be that much into black metal as before 20 years later? Doubtful. And that's probably why the albums before The Cult is Alive (barring Hate Them is kinda forgettable).

And I don't get it when people say the newer albums isn't serious and it's only ''fun stuff''. I feel like they haven got through the whole of them. Sure some songs are more ''fun'', but just listen to Norway in September, Eyes Burst at Dawn and others, and they're ''serious'' passionate tracks.

Circle the Wagons was a good album. I don't understand all this hate..

Personally, I think it's very natural that two people who were among the ones who defined the way black metal sounds today eventually got bored of playing the same stuff over and over again. In a way, I understand the hate they receive, but they owe nothing and since their current records are quite decent, I'm happy with that.

I think they really nailed their change of style with 'The Cult is Alive' - an excellent album, full of renewed energy and ideas. For me, it's the best DT release since 'Panzerfaust' - but I think their new style has progressively weakened with each release since 'The Cult is Alive'. It's time for some new ideas again.

Oh, how very much I agree (especially with the notion that "The Cult is Alive" was Darkthrone's best album since "Panzerfaust"). "FOAD" was a bafflingly inferior successor to "The Cult is Alive", and "Circle the Wagons" was no improvement. Let's hope that Darkthrone manage to again progress with this album.

I don't like or hate their albums ("ravishing grimness" was shit though) and I somehow lost interest in the band long time ago but I don't understand this constant bashing. They're middle aged men who couldn't care less about opinions of others. I'm sure they could easily record another "...hunger" or "...funeral moon" album to satisfy the masses but they choose not to. I don't think it matters what they release. You slap a Darkthrone logo on the cover and it will sell. I have no expectations for this album. I predict it will be another generic Darkthrone style album; love it or hate it, buy it or leave it.